


Man's Greatest Joy

by Dancingsalome



Category: Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-13
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-03-17 16:00:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3535466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancingsalome/pseuds/Dancingsalome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wendy returns to Neverland and falls prey to Captain Hook who is determined that this time he will get Peter Pan.</p>
<p>The warnings are there as an extra caution, there is no actual sex in this fic except for kissing, but Wendy is about fifteen, just so you know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written several years ago and is another one that I never felt completely satisfied with and which I am now cutting and re-writing. The original was much more explicit and was most definitely X-rated, but I think it improves with these changes. If you have read my stories before you know that my fics tend to be rather dark and this is, even with changes, not a completely happy story. This story is following the same basic plot as most of my Peter Pan-stories, which is probably why I don’t write them anymore, there are only so many fics that can be written on the theme “Captain Hook captures Wendy”, after all. 
> 
> The title is from a quote by Genghis Khan; _Man's greatest joy is to slay his enemy, plunder his riches, ride his steeds, see the tears of his loved ones and embrace his women_
> 
> The original story was kindly beta-read by lexyhamilton.

Peter came back to fetch Wendy for the spring cleaning the next year, but then he forgot all about it for some time. Eventually he came back, and Wendy ignored that she was taller than him now- almost a young lady, and slipped back into playing. It was fun to chase Peter in the woods of Neverland, and though she knew by now that she had to grow up in the end, she pushed that knowledge to the back of her mind in the bright sunlight of the enchanted island.

One morning, though, she went by herself, following a small path she had not walked before. Perhaps it was not a path at all, merely the traces of a large animal that had wandered through. She followed it anyway, dancing forward, but then she came to a glade, and there, seated upon the fallen trunk of a large three, was Captain Hook. He ought not have been there, he was dead, swallowed by the crocodile, but despite that, there he was. When he saw her, he stood up and bowed, and Wendy approached him, for a moment mindless of the dangers he represented.

Like the first time she saw him, Wendy was mesmerised by his person, and she could not help herself as she walked up to him and allowed him to seat her beside him. Then Wendy looked at her hands and then up again, drowning into those eyes that were as blue as forget-me-not.

"How?" she asked, and he regaled her with a story of how he had fought his way out of the beast's belly, using his sharp hook as a weapon. She listened to the tale, caught by his beautiful voice that chose words carefully and put them together to a riveting story. So taken she was that she didn't realise that she was sitting close to Peter's deadliest enemy, not until Hook fell silent. When Wendy was no longer fed words she abruptly came to her senses and she stood up.

"I must go," Wendy said, but before she could take a step, the steel hooked around her arm, and then she was seized and pulled close to the man as he stood up himself. His large hand covered her mouth, muffling her screams and she was pressed hard against his body, which frightened her, though she could not tell why. Though she was taller than she had when she first met him, she had never before realised how tall he was. Now Wendy was engulfed in his arms, and she felt very small when she struggled to break free.

"I am sorry, Miss Darling, but I cannot let you go," Hook whispered into her ears. He raised his voice and on his harsh orders, the glen was soon filled with pirates. Wendy was bound and gagged, and then she was unceremoniously flung over the shoulder of one of the men, and the whole party departed to the ship.

Once back in the Captain's cabin Wendy was freed and though rather breathless she made an effort to appear calm and poised in front of Hook. He was again the gentleman, offering Wendy a chair, something to drink, or eat. When she had declined, somewhat haughtily, he took his seat close to her, and took her hand. Wendy tried to snatch it back, but she found that his grip was far too strong for her.

“Now, my dear, I will ask you to tell me the whereabouts of Peter Pan, please. I want you to notice that I do this politely, and remember that I have not treated you harshly in any way, apart from the rather unfortunate manner to which you were brought here. For that I most profoundly apologise.”

Wendy relaxed a bit, Hook's voice was soft and she could not detect anything else than sincerity in his features.

“If you tell me what I need, I will give you my word that you will suffer no harm from my hospitality. As a matter of fact, as soon as Pan has been brought here, you will at once be brought back to the shore, and will have nothing more to fear from me.”

The polite words and the manners with which Hook uttered them, almost made Wendy feel that it was a small task to tell the way to Peter's lair. But only for a moment, then she shook her head.

“I can't tell you that, Captain, and I will not. I know you have no friendship for Peter, and I will play no part in helping you. Now I think you should let me go, before Peter comes to my rescue, or you will be sorry.”

Unfortunately Wendy's voice wavered a little at her last words, and she did not sound as sure of herself as she could have wished. Hook must have heard it, but he did not acknowledge it. Instead he leaned closer to Wendy, ignoring that she pulled back slightly to keep her distance from him. When he spoke his voice seemed even softer, a low murmur that was almost inaudible for Wendy.

“You would do better to tell me. You don't want to know what will befall you if you don't.”

Wendy raised her chin, though her heart had started to beat very fast. “I guess you will make me walk the plank again. And it will probably work as well as it did the last time.”

Hook laughed, but it was a laugh without mirth, and Wendy felt a small shiver of fear.

“Miss Darling. Wendy. I will ask you once again. Be so kind to tell me where I can find Pan, and you will have nothing to fear from me. So far you have not seen very much of me, or of what I am able to do, and you don't know to what you condemn yourself, if you don't obey me now. Do what I ask, nay beg of you, and you can live happily unaware of it.”

But Wendy shook her head. She could not really believe that Captain Hook would hurt her, he had always behaved quite decently toward her, even when he had gleefully tried to send her into the hungry mouth of the crocodile. At least she told herself that Hook would not do anything harmful to her, even if there was a small nagging doubt in the back of her mind. Hook sighed and rose, looming large over Wendy. The nagging doubt ceased to nag and started to scream instead, but Wendy herself could not utter a sound when his hand closed around her arm and dragged her up to her feet. For a fleeting second she thought she could detect pity in his features, before they hardened. He changed his grip of her arm so her forearm was twisted up and he traced the artery visible under the white skin.

“If I cut you here, you will bleed out and die very quickly.” He turned her arm again. “If I cut you here and not too deeply, it will just bleed some, but it will hurt. Pain does strange things to you and you may think you have strength enough to withstand it, but that is only because of your ignorance.”

The Captain pressed the hook harder against her skin and it broke through. Wendy cried out and tried to wrench out of his grip, but he held her easily, cutting a short gash, before he removed the hook and let go of her. Blood welled up, but he took his handkerchief and tied it around her arm, quickly stemming the flow. Wendy looked up at him with a new fear; she knew that this was just a brief respite. It was dawning to her that Hook could do all sorts of nasty things to her, and also that he would. She had forgotten the single-mindedness he put on his pursuit of Peter, and she felt that she had also overestimated her own charm. She had just begun to learn that a pretty girl can achieve quite a bit with just being pretty, but she had forgotten that Hook was not a boy, and that he, despite his courteous ways, was a cruel man. Still she shook her head when he asked her of Peter’s whereabouts again. Hook’s face grew very grim.

“So be it then,” he said and Wendy gave away to her panic and tried to dart away from him, but he easily caught her hair and dragged the terrified girl close to him. But even if his intentions were to make Wendy talk, no matter what, he was mercifully interrupted before he could begin. Smee burst into the cabin, waving his arms.

"Pan, Captain! Pan is coming!"

Hook made a triumphant exclamation, as he hastily let go of Wendy and picked up his sword.

"Stay with her," he ordered Smee, before he was gone, the door closing after him with a bang.

Neither Wendy nor Smee said anything while they waited, though Smee, after a quick look at the shivering girl went to fetch a blanket and after wrapping it around her made her sit on the sofa. Wendy huddled into the blanket, straining to hear what happened outside. Had Peter come just a little earlier she would have been convinced that she would soon be gloriously free, but now she cradled her cut arm against her chest and felt an ice-cold dread. What would happen to her, and Peter, if he didn’t win?


	2. Chapter 2

Hours seemed to pass before the door was opened again, though in reality it was only a matter of half an hour at the most. Then the door burst open and Hook emerged, in his arms the bleeding and unconscious form of Peter Pan. The Captain disposed of his burden on the sofa which Wendy quickly vacated.

"Warm water, Smee," he ordered curtly. "And your surgeon's kit."

As Smee hurried away, Wendy forgot her own worries and knelt by Peter’s side, looking at him anxiously. He was not dead, but his face was white and his breathing shallow. His right arm was bleeding, in such amount that it was impossible to tell what the real damage was. Hook suddenly put some rags in her hands, showing her without words how she was to press it against' Peter's arm. Wendy held the fabric against the wound, pressing steadily, and it seemed that it bled less. Smee soon came back, and he proved to be quite deft in taking care of the injury. Wendy stayed by his side, helping with what she could, and at long last Peter's arm had been tended to. He was still unconscious, but Smee declared that Pan would live, if nothing happened to complicate matters. Hook had hovered above them, during the operation, and when Smee was dismissed, Wendy dared to ask him what she had wondered about since he came back.

"Why didn't you kill Peter when you had the chance?"

Hook face darkened. "Because I can't! Believe me, nothing would please me more, but what would happen? Everything will freeze, that is what will happen, and the ship will be stuck in the ice. Who knows if it will ever be spring again, if Pan is dead? No, I will keep him alive until I have been able to get so far from here, that the weather will obey the laws of nature, and not that of a boy."

Suddenly he started to laugh, and he laughed for a long time.

"I won," he said after a while, his voice sounding a bit unsteady. "Sweet Wendy, it seems that your co-operation won't be necessary after all. I guess this call for some sort of celebration"

He left the cabin, and soon after Smee returned this time with warm water and some food. Wendy slowly washed Peter's blood away from her hands. Smee also provided a dressing gown and though it clearly belonged to the Captain, Wendy was grateful for the warmth it provided. When she had eaten she curled up at the Peter's feet, and settled down to wait for him to wake up. From the deck she could hear laughter, and shouts, sometimes even singing, and she assumed that the pirates were having a feast to celebrate Hook's victory. Peter remained unconscious, only stirring from time to time, but the sound of her voice seemed to soothe him. Part of Wendy wanted him to wake up, so she would have someone to talk to, but the rest of her felt that the longer Peter was unaware, the better for him. Soon enough he would have to face that his life was in the hands of Captain Hook.

It must have been quite late before Hook returned, and Wendy had fallen asleep in her corner of the sofa. Hook seemed to be in an excellent, if somewhat unsteady, mood, and when he pulled her up from her seat, Wendy could feel the smell of rum on his breath. She had never encountered drunkenness before, but she assumed that Hook was in an inebriated state. He put his hooked arm around her waist, and tilted her head up.

"Pretty, pretty Wendy", he said, and kissed her. The kiss had just the name in common to those tentative kisses she had been bestowed before. Wendy tried to keep her mouth shut, turning her head away, but Hook's hands gripped her jaw, forcing her lips to part and receive him. It shocked her when his tongue explored her mouth, demanding her co-operation in something she found repulsive, and which scared her. Wendy lashed out with her hands, and managed to rake her nails across his cheek. She drew blood, which made him stop, though he only laughed at her when she tried to squirm out of his grip.

"Let go of her."

Both Wendy and Hook turned around, and saw Peter standing by the sofa. He was still very pale, and he swayed a bit as he stood, but he looked determined and angry.

"Did you hear me Hook, leave Wendy alone!"

Hook straightened up, tossing his hair out of his face. He had stopped laughing and seemed very sober and calm at once, but Wendy could see a flicker of red in his eyes as he took a step toward the boy.

"What did you say, Pan?" Hook's voice was dripping with contempt. "What will you do if I don't? Crawl on the floor and tug at my boots?"

"It's between you and me, Hook. Wendy has done you no wrong. You have me now."

"True. But she is quite entertaining, and I intend to keep her and you should thread very carefully because your existence it solely made of my goodwill. ."

The Captain's voice was just a low purr, and Wendy realised that he was very angry now, furious even.

"Oh no," she thought. "He'll kill Peter now, whatever he said earlier." It certainly seemed likely, because Hook swopped down on Peter with blazing eyes, but it was not the hooked arm he lifted to strike the boy with. Still the blow felled the boy to the floor and Peter cried out in pain. Wendy took hold of Hook's arm, tugging at him to make him stop, but he merely flung out his arm with such force that Wendy stumbled backward and fell to the floor as well.

"Keep out of it, girl," Hook told her, and she stayed where she had landed, watching with wide eyes. Peter's arm had started to bleed again, the dressing was slowly getting redder and instead of hitting him again, Hook paused. Wendy could still see the red light in his eyes, but then he passed his hand over his face, rubbing his forehead, as if to clear his head. When he looked up again he merely looked weary, and then he looked down on Peter and frowned. Hook quickly strode to the door, bellowing Smee's name. When Smee showed up he was definitely not sober, but his merry expression disappeared when he saw Peter.

"Get him out of here, Smee," Hook said. "It's unlikely that the brat will survive long if I have to have him under my eyes. Take him away and keep him alive."

Wendy stood as Hook moved about the cabin, shedding his coat, and washing himself. She was unsure of what would happen now. She was terribly tired, but the terror Hook had instilled in her was still very much alive, and she wondered what would happen to her now. When he spoke to her she couldn't help but jump, even though he didn't sound angry anymore.

“What on earth am I going to do with you?” He looked at her in silence for a minute, and then he sighed. He opened a door that Wendy hadn’t noticed before and he motioned at her to come. The door led into a storage space, there were coffins on the floor and clothes were hanging from rails or folded on shelves. The Captain pushed her lightly to get in, and then he removed a duvet from his bed and gave to her, before he closed and locked the door. Wendy was left in darkness, but though the floor was hard, she was not cold and so exhausted that she soon fell asleep, despite the turmoil and fright of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

When Wendy woke up the next morning she found the door ajar and when she ventured out into the cabin she found it deserted and by the sun she could see through the windows she judged that she had slept well into the morning. While she was still pondering if she could procure Smee's attention without being noticed by Hook or the other pirates, Smee entered the cabin with a breakfast tray. He answered Wendy’s questions with that Peter was quite well, "all things considered". He also told her, to Wendy's secret delight, that he was preparing a bath for her and would find some more suitable clothes. She ate her breakfast as Smee was bustling in and out, rigging up a tub for her behind a screen and then leaving her alone with hot water and soap.

The clothes were very strange, in heavy rose-coloured silk. There was a linen shift and several petticoats, but no other underwear and no stockings and shoes. The skirt was very long, yards of fabric that swirled around her legs, longer than her own skirts at home. The bodice was heavily boned, though awfully low-cut, and when she had laced the front close, it nipped her waist in quite a bit, but pressed her breasts up, so that they were half un-covered. Wendy found that deeply embarrassing, and she wished for one of the boring but sensible dresses she had to wear in school instead.

The Captain returned when Wendy was dressed and was attacking her damp hair with a comb she had found on Hook’s dresser. He regarded her with curious mix of pleasure and apprehension

"You look very fetching. I predict endless troubles having such a pretty picture on this ship. Tell me child, how old are you now?"

Wendy remembered the kiss of last night and regarded him with some suspicion "Fifteen. Just."

"Not much of a child left in you then. I think I got hold of you at the last moment, before long I'm sure that Neverland would have been closed for you. The question is, too young still, or not?”

He shook his head, but then he seemed to lose interest in her and started to pull up papers and maps on a large table. It piqued Wendy’s interest and she cautiously moved closer to have a look. Some of the maps, though oddly distorted to her mind, clearly showed the familiar shapes of the British Isles, while others seemed to depict the oceans.

The Captain looked up. "We are going back to England as soon as possible."

Wendy suddenly felt excited. They were going home! "Oh Captain, please. If you contact my parents in London they will give you anything you want, if you let me come home again. I know they will. And for Peter too, I'm sure."

Hook laughed. "And this London you talk about, which London is that?"

Wendy felt confused. There was only one London, as far as she knew.

"My dear girl, I am quite sure that we are not talking about the same thing. We are going back to England, ruled as it is by the good King Charles. Tell me, is that the London you are talking about?"

Wendy felt cold. "But that's more than two hundred years ago, it's not possible!"

"Isn't it? You can readily accept this island, with all the oddities it possesses, but you can't believe that? I am quite sure I can go back. Don't look so stricken, I wouldn't have called on your family even if we had returned to the place you call home." Hook eyed her with some interest. "Two hundred years, you say... I think you and I will have some rather interesting conversations in the future."

Hook returned to study his maps, and Wendy sat down. Her legs suddenly felt boneless, and she felt a bit dizzy. She wouldn't go home. She would never see her family again. Homesickness fell over her and she felt like she was going to be sick. Hook would never let her go, and there was no one left to save her and Peter. Wendy realised that the only option for her was to try to escape before Hook left the island, but how? She sat in silence for a long time, thinking, before she spoke again.

"Could I see Peter, please?"

Hook looked annoyed. "Why would you want to see a dead boy?"

"Dead! But you said! He wasn't yesterday!" Wendy felt as if she was choking. Had Peter died during the night? Why hadn't Hook told her?

"Oh, he is still breathing, but not for long. I told you yesterday that I was merely waiting until I could be sure that I had got away from Neverland before I killed him."

"You tricked me! You said that if I did my best, you wouldn't hurt Peter!"

Hook suddenly seized her arm and dragged her up, his face thunderous. "Guard your tongue. I never said I wouldn't kill him, merely that I wouldn't make him suffer the short time he has left. You presume too much, Wendy, and if you're not careful, you'll regret speaking in such haste."

Wendy blinked back tears. Hook was right; he never said he wouldn't kill Peter. Oh, how foolish she was. Hook released her, looking somewhat kinder.

"I forgot that you are a young thing, and I guess I have to allow some breach of manners because of that. I'll give you this; give me no reason to complain today and perhaps I'll let you see him tomorrow. Now be quiet and let me work in peace."

Wendy retreated to the sofa, which felt a somewhat safer distance from Hook. A few hours passed when he continued to work with his maps and Wendy spend her time thinking over her situation, hoping to find a way out she hadn’t thought about before. If they couldn’t escape, then she must save Peter’s life, on way or another. Eventually Smee arrived with food and Wendy was summoned to the table to eat with the Captain. She watched him under her lashes, wondering if she dared to speak up. His mood seemed to swing very quickly and might very well be very angry at her. She fidgeted a little and Hook put down his cutlery.

"What is it, girl?"

Wendy voice at first faltered, but after a false start she got the words out. "Captain, I was wondering... I wondered if you could not kill Peter, please. I will do anything you want if you let him live. I will be good and do whatever you say."

Hook snorted. "My dear, it's a most generous offer, but you forget that you are already at my mercy. You can't offer me something I can make you do anyway.” He leaned back in his chair. “And have you the slightest idea what I want from you? I doubt that.”

Wendy flushed. He was right; she had no clear idea, only that she was quite sure the frightening kiss had something to do about it.

“I… Kisses and such, I guess,” she managed lamely.

He laughed. “Indeed.”

He rose and came to sit by her at the sofa. Wendy eyes burned from tears that she didn't want to shed, and she closed them, she felt bewildered and scared, but Hook didn’t seem angry.

“Don’t fret over Pan, Wendy; you can do nothing for him. Think of yourself and be a good girl and you will have nothing to fear. Provoke me and you will be sorry. You are a very beautiful girl and I intend to have everything you can give me, but I’m not in any particular hurry, at the moment I’m inclined to let you grow up a little more.

"I will be good," Wendy said with a seriousness that sounded somewhat odd, given the subject. Hook laughed again, but it sounded quite kindly.

"I rather believe you will, Wendy. And I promise, if you are a good girl, I will not be too hard on you”


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning began much the same as the day before. Wendy found herself alone in the cabin until Smee came with her breakfast, but when she was almost done, Hook returned and curtly told Smee to escort Wendy to see Peter when she was finished. Wendy could feel herself get flushed from joy, and she thanked Hook repeatedly, which made him smile. Well out of the cabin Smee held a protective hand on her arm, and after some distinctively dirty looks she received from some of the crew, Wendy was rather grateful for that. Even so, two rather burly men blocked their way, asking Smee whether the Captain had already grown tired of the little miss, and if it was their turn now. Wendy stepped closer to Smee and he shooed them away. He brought her down into the ship, and started to unlock a door. Before he opened it, however, he paused and turned to Wendy, looking rather uncomfortable.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry Miss. It grieves me that I know I have been part of your misfortune. If I can do anything for you, I promise I will."

Wendy didn't know what to say. Smee's concern was real, she thought, but she doubted that he could do anything to help her. Nevertheless she thanked him, and Smee opened the door and showed her into a small cabin, and then he closed and locked the door again. Peter was lying on a bunk, still looking a bit pale, but when he saw her he sat up without much problem. Wendy saw that someone, probably Smee, had provided him with a pair of worn breeches, and a shirt, both quite too large for his skinny frame. She ran to his side, kneeling on the floor.

"Oh Peter!"

She wanted to fling her arms around him, desperately needing comfort, but she knew she couldn't. Peter wouldn't understand her need, and would most likely only be confused by it. So she merely knelt close to him, searching his face.

"How are you feeling? How is the arm?"

"It's better, but I don't seem to be able to move my hand properly."

To illustrate he tried to clench it, and to Wendy's alarm, his fingers refused to fold. Hook's sword must have cut deep, and she wondered if Peter's hand would ever heal. That is, if he was allowed to live. For a moment they were both silent. Wendy's relief to see that Peter felt better was overshadowed by Hook's threat of killing him as soon as he could. After a while Peter softly touched Wendy's cheek.

"You look different Wendy. I don't know what it is, but you do."

She laughed a little nervously. "It's just the clothes."

Peter looked thoughtfully at her. "No, I think it's something else too."

Wendy thought Peter looked different as well. For the first time she felt that Peter was younger than she, which she had never felt before. The past few days had been so full of changes that had suddenly altered her perception of herself, and consequently also of Peter. He looked so solemn, and it was a shock for Wendy when she realised that the laughter had gone out of Peter's eyes. Before his eyes had always twinkled, even when in danger, but not now. Wild ideas ran through Wendy's mind, that they could try to overpower Smee when he came back, that they would be able to get up on the deck, and fly away before anyone could catch them. But she knew that there was hardly any chance for them to succeed that. Peter was clearly not well enough to do anything straining, and she, well she had nothing that could match Captain Hook and his crew. Peter sighed and lay down again.

"It's good to have you here, Wendy. Can't you tell me a story?"

"Of course."

She slowly started to tell him one of his favourite stories, and Peter looked quite content as she spoke. But after some time, the door was inevitably opened again, and this time it wasn't Smee, but Captain Hook himself. He looked down at them, an odd mixture of loathing and triumph on his face. Peter sat up and squared his shoulders, though it made him wince.

"I have news for you Pan, and though you won't like them, my heart is filled with joy at the thought of them." Hook's hand clenched around Peter's unharmed arm, and pulled him up from the bed. "Come, and I'll show you."

He turned to go out again, giving Wendy a nod to indicate that she was to follow. As they were about to climb the narrow stairs up to deck, Peter fumbled after the rail for support, only to fail. Hook paused.

"What is it, Pan?"

"I can't use the hand," Peter answered rather sullenly, and Hook smiled an ugly smile.

"You can't?" He quickly examined Peter's hand, ignoring the small cry of pain the boy omitted at the brusque handling. What he discerned seemed to fill him with satisfaction "I see. How fitting. An eye for an eye, boy, or rather, a hand for a hand. Let's see how much you'll enjoy coping with just one hand. As I have had to do."

With that he hauled Peter up to the deck. Outside the whole crew was waiting, and Wendy became aware of a tension in them. Hook pointed at the green shores of Neverland, not so far away.

"Look at it, Pan. Look carefully. It's the last you will see of it,. because now we are setting sail, and we will never return. You'll never take a step there again."

Peter didn't answer, but he paled. Wendy took a step closer to him, but she didn't dare to get too close, as Hook gave her a glare full of warnings when she moved. As Peter watched Neverland, Wendy watched Peter, while Hook gave the orders to set sail. The Jolly Roger slowly moved, creaking heavily, and then the wind got caught in the sails, and she moved faster, turning her stern towards the island. Peter twisted in Hook's grip to be able to watch, and Wendy thought she had never seen anything so despairing as the expression on Peter's face when the island grew smaller.

For a long time they stood there, and Hook's eyes never left Peter's face either. When Wendy noticed it, and the appalling expression of exultation on Hook's face, she felt quite sick. There was so much hatred there, and Wendy had no doubt that if Hook had been able to, he would cut Peter's throat then and there. They stood there until the island disappeared beneath the horizon. As it disappeared Peter wailed, a sound so filled with misery that it cut Wendy's heart, and she wished that she could hug him, and try to comfort him. But Hook handed Peter over to Smee, with orders to lock him up again, and then he brought Wendy back to the cabin and left her there.


	5. Chapter 5

Wendy's own pain, which had sunk back when she had felt so sorry for Peter, suddenly flared up again when she was left alone. Despite the uselessness of it she sat down and cried heartily. The reality of never returning home felt much more absolute now when they had left Neverland, and she was still sobbing when Hook returned. He first looked rather astonished, and then annoyed, but Wendy was so caught up in her emotions that she for once didn't care if Hook would be angry with her. Instead she lifted her face from the pillow she had been crying into and screamed at him.

"I want to go home! I don't want to be here! I don't want Peter to be killed! I hate what you do to us. You are evil and cruel and I hate you! You hurt me, and I want my mother!"

Then Wendy started to cry without control again. Hook quickly crossed the room and pulled her up to her feet, and Wendy lost all sense of caution and tried to hit him. He easily dodged her hand, and then wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She could not break free from the grip, but he didn't do anything else than holding her firmly. At length Wendy's desperate sobs died out, and she just leaned limply against Hook's chest. She had won nothing in her efforts, nothing at all, she knew. It was much more likely that this would earn her some kind of punishment, but for the moment she didn't care. Hook released her.

"Go and make yourself presentable, and then come back here."

Wendy hurriedly washed her face, wondering what Hook had in mind for her. Nothing good, she was sure, and the fact that he was so calm just terrified her more. When she once again stood before him, she could feel her legs shake.

"You can't go home, Wendy. Never again. You will never see your mother again, and it's only foolishness to grieve over it. I thought you understood that, and had decided to make the best of your situation. Apparently I was wrong." Hook paused, looking somewhat thoughtful. "Perhaps it's not so surprising though, considering your age. But know this; it was my plan all along. I would never have let you go, if it had not served the purpose of getting Pan at my mercy. That would have been worth your death, and it still would be, if I ever have to choose."

Hook's hand stroked her face, tracing the outline of her lips with a finger.

"Pan, you really do love him, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Why?” Hook sounded puzzled. “A mere boy, who hardly remembers his own name from one day to the next. What can he offer a girl like you? What understanding can he have of what it means to have the love of someone like you?"

Wendy looked back, unable to answer. How could Hook understand? He was too violent, too serious, and too grown-up to understand the sheer joy of being with Peter. The fun, fun in a way that she was never allowed to have back home, and never would be allowed to have again.

"I just do," she said finally. Hook's finger hardened around her chin, forcing her head into immobility.

"And you think that I can't love, isn't it so, my beauty? You think that I'm only capable of hate. You can hate me if you want, but you are wrong if you think that is the only feeling I can possess. I can love too, Wendy Darling, and I might love you- but you may wish for your sake that it doesn't happen."

He let go of her, and took a step back. Wendy wasn't sure how to respond to Hook's speech, so she merely stood there, wondering if he expected her to say anything. Apparently not, as he soon started to speak again.

"I cannot really tolerate this kind of behaviour even if it's understandable, but I will let it pass, this time. You will not speak to me in this manner again, however, or you'll regret it, and Pan will as well. Do you understand me?”

Wendy, who had fully expected to be punished, could only nod and with that Hook seemed to be satisfied and left the matter. In the days that followed, some sort of routine evolved. During the days Wendy was left pretty much on her own, as Hook had a ship to manage, and she was only let outside when Smee could be spared to accompany her. In the evenings Hook talked quite a lot, making her answer all sorts of questions about her home. He was quite kindly toward her and though he had indicated that he wanted to kiss her again, he didn’t touch her. She felt a little bit less scared of the Captain when it came to herself, but then there was Peter to worry about.

Peter. As the days went by, Wendy's fear that Hook would kill him grew. Every time night came and Peter was still alive, Wendy breathed easier, only to have her fear renewed the next day. Whenever she was alone with Smee, she questioned him about Peter, and was told that her friend was healing as he should, though his hand seemed to be permanently damaged. Smee seemed genuinely concerned about Peter, and on more than one occasion he repeated his wish to help Wendy if he could. Wendy longed to see him again, but she dared not ask Hook, for fear that it would bring unwanted attention to Peter. The Captain had been in a very good mood ever since it became clear that they had successfully left Neverland, but Wendy thought it unlikely that his temper embraced the well-being of Peter as well.

Her fears came true at last one day, when Hook ordered Peter to be brought to the cabin. Before the boy arrived Hook seated himself in his chair, making Wendy to sit down by his feet. As they waited Hook played with her hair, tugging gently to make her look at him.

“You look pale, Wendy. Afraid?”

“Yes.”

“Yes of course. You fear for your little friend. I know you have wanted to talk about him for some time. I had thought you would be pleading for him by now.”

“I thought it would have displeased you, Captain.”

Those words made Hook laugh. “Indeed, it probably would.”

At that point Smee arrived with Peter in tow. Wendy felt quite horrified at the sight of him. He was pale, and very thin, it was clear that being confined was something that affected him badly, even if Smee had taken good care of him. He looked at Hook and some of his old defiance came back to his face, and then he looked at Wendy and frowned. Hook leaned forward, a rather peculiar smile on his face.

“How is your hand, boy?” Peter looked down, but didn't answer. “I know you can't use it. Not very agreeable, is it? I must confess that the thought of it has brought me much pleasure, as has leaving Neverland. Tell me, would you be able to fly back to it now, if I let you go?”

Peter looked confused. “Fly? People can't fly only birds and insects.”

“Peter!” Wendy exclaimed. She first thought that Peter was trying to make fun of Hook, but the bewildered look on his face told her that he genuinely didn't remember. Hook looked intently at Peter, smiling slightly, before he asked:

“But you remember Neverland?”

“Ye-es,” Peter said slowly. “It is home, and I miss it.”

"And you know who I am? And who she is?”

Now Peter looked surer of himself and a bit angry as well. “Yes, you are my enemy, and that is Wendy who is my friend.”

"Very good. Now, I was going to kill you, but I have thought about it, and perhaps I will not. You are hardly a match for me now, and it would just demean me to kill a defenseless child."

Wendy listened with growing amazement, and she became aware that she was holding her breath. Could it be possible that Hook wouldn't kill Peter after all? It rather looked like it.

"You'll have to work for your living, though," Hook continued. "I have no use for idleness on this ship."

Peter looked angrier. "I'm not going to work for you, Hook. Ever!"

"You are not, hmmm? Though that would mean life over death?" Hook suddenly yanked Wendy's head back by her hair, and she yelped in surprise. "I think you will reconsider, Pan, if I tell you that it's not only your well-being that is at stake here."

The hook pressed into Wendy's throat and she was reminded how Hook had told her that her life was nothing, if it meant that Hook would triumph over Peter. The boy looked worried, his eyes darting from Hook's face, to Wendy's.

"I'll slit her throat, and then I will make you clean up, Pan, though I dare say that is the last thing you would ever do. But you would do it- in the end."

For a long time no one moved. Then Peter nodded. "I'll work. If you leave Wendy alone."

The Captain removed the hook, but pulled Wendy closer to him. "You don't have to worry for her. She is a lovely girl, and easy to like" Wendy could feel herself blush, and Peter's face coloured slightly as well, but he didn't say anything. After a moment or two Hook leaned back and released Wendy. "Take him away, Smee, and put him to work."

After they were gone Wendy still sat on the floor, feeling too weary to rise. Eventually Hook spoke again. "Happy now, my dear?"

Wendy looked up, wondering if Hook mocked her, but he looked quite serene. She didn't feel very happy, even though she was very relieved that Peter wasn't going to be killed. Hook still hated him, and she was sure that Peter's life would be an ongoing misery. But she didn't dare to anger Hook, so she just nodded.

"Yes, very happy," she said.


	6. Chapter 6

Wendy's fear that Hook hadn’t spared Peter’s life out of kindness was richly justified during the days that followed. It seemed the Captain took great joy in setting up tasks for Peter, and then punishing him severely when he failed. Peter ground his teeth when Hook laughed.

"I do you a favour boy. Trust me; it isn't easy to get by with one hand if one doesn't learn to cope."

Peter endured in silence for a few days, but then he exploded, raking down the glass and silverware from the table that Hook had ordered him to set, creating a tremendous crash. Wendy took in Hook's darkening face and shrank back in her chair. Peter, however, spent a few precious seconds looking triumphant and when he regained his sense and tried to dodge Hook it was already too late, despite Wendy's cry of warning. Hook's fist flew out and knocked Peter backward, so the boy stumbled and would have fallen if he had not used all his agility to keep himself upright. Hook grabbed his hair, yanking Peter head up and back, and the hook kept it there.

“You really don’t listen, do you Pan? You agreed to work for your upkeep and Wendy would not be hurt.”

Peter gritted his teeth. "I told you before, Hook, that you were to leave Wendy be. And I still mean it."

Hook shook him. "It's Captain, not Hook, boy.”

Wendy felt sick. She couldn’t stand it to see Peter hurt again, she just couldn’t and before she knew it, she spoke out aloud.

“Bad form, Captain.” Through some miracle her voice held steady. Hook’s head turned toward her abruptly, and both he and Peter looked exceedingly surprised.

“What?”

She stood up and regretted it instantly, her legs were shaking so badly. “I know you hate Peter, but he is still just a child. You are a grown-up and you don’t play fair. You want him to do a lot of things that he has never done before and then you get angry when he can’t. That’s bad form.”

She came to an abrupt halt. The cabin was quiet and she almost didn’t dare breathing. The Captain would explode now, she should have stayed silent. She couldn’t help Peter; she ought to have learned that by now. But to her surprise Hook sounded quite calm when he answered her.

“He has still wrecked havoc on my dinner table. Would your parents had let such a deed go unpunished if you or your brother’s had done something like that?”

“No, they wouldn’t. But they wouldn’t have scared us and they wouldn’t have beaten us half to death.”

There was another silence and then, to Wendy’s complete astonishment, Hook let go of Peter. He gave Wendy a very odd look, but his anger seemed to have evaporated.

“Very well”, he said. “Smee, take the boy away and give him a good spanking and that will close the matter.”

After that Hook’s malicious glee in punishing Peter seemed to wear off. Not that he ever hesitated to hit the boy whenever anything went wrong, but he seemed less keen in finding faults.

One day Hook entered the cabin smiling, and beckoned to Wendy to follow him out. Well outside he pointed and Wendy could make out land at the horizon.

“England,” Hook said. “I'm sure of it.”

Wendy felt very odd. She was coming home, and she wasn't at the same time. But London was at least London, and she thought that surely there must be some way for her and Peter to disappear into the town and escape. She was increasingly worried for him, at the few opportunities she had to talk with him, he seemed to be rapidly growing hazy on what had happened before they were trapped on the Jolly Roger, and that alarmed her very much. The next time she was alone with Smee in the cabin she cornered the old man, and reminded him of his wish to help her.

"When we come to London, Smee, I need your help to get me and Peter off the ship. You don't have to do anything apart from that. Only make sure we can get off the ship unnoticed, nothing else."

Smee looked horrified. "But Miss, you don't know how to find your way there. And the Captain..."

"Sooner or later the Captain will kill Peter; you must have seen what he looks like now. Peter can't be kept prisoner, it will break him. We must get away, and you must help us."

That day Wendy didn't manage to get Smee to agree to help her, but she persisted in asking him, relentlessly reminding him that he had said he would help her. Eventually she got a very unwilling promise of help. They arrived in London by mid-day, and it appeared to be spring. Wendy stood by the rail, watching the docks. For a moment she couldn't help but wonder what her brothers would say if they knew she had travelled back in time, she was sure they would be envious, but then it hurt too much to think of them, and she went back to the cabin.

The next few days held no opportunities. Even if Hook spent much time away from the ship, Peter was locked in, and Smee was too busy, or at least that was what he made sure he seemed to be. The Captain brought a shoe-maker to the ship, and stood over him until he had finished a pair of slippers for Wendy, the gleaming hook the Captain made sure to polish may have had something to do with the speed with which the shoes were finished. After that Hook took Wendy ashore, and seemed to take great pleasure in visiting tailors and milliners, ordering a more sumptuous wardrobe than the dazzled Wendy had ever thought she would have. And, she had to remind herself, she wouldn't. By the time the beautiful gowns, linens and capes would be delivered, then she would hopefully be gone.

Wendy had started to doubt that Smee would help her, but then one morning he came, with Peter in tow. Smee nervously gave her a small purse.

"Go now. The Captain is gone for some hours, and I have made sure that there will be no one of deck for a minute or so. Go now, and I wish you the best of luck."

Wendy hurriedly grabbed a shawl, and then gave the old man a kiss on the cheek, before she and Peter quickly got out on deck. It really was deserted, and though people were moving about on the docks, no one seemed to find thme the least interesting. As soon as they put their feet on solid ground they started to run, and they didn't stop until Wendy was totally breathless and her side hurt.

They found themselves standing in a narrow alley. Wendy wrinkled her nose. It stank, a truly horrible smell, and she could see Peter wrinkle his nose in distaste as well. But they were free! Surely Hook would not be able to find them in this maze.

"Peter, do you think there is any way for us to get back to Neverland?"

"Huh?" Peter looked at her, and Wendy felt herself go cold. Surely Peter couldn't have forgotten his home?

"Neverland, Peter. You know. You don't think we were always on the ship, do you?"

"No-o. But I don't really remember what we were doing before we came there."

Wendy thought for a while. She had known that Peter seemed to have forgotten about flying, but as long as he remembered Neverland, she had thought that they could somehow get back. Still, they were at least free of Hook. She supposed that they must find somewhere to live, and something to live off. Somehow getting away had always been the important bit, not what would come after. Now they suddenly were in the middle of this after, and she had no idea what they were supposed to do. And neither had Peter. But surely it would be possible to get by? Peter took her hand and she smiled at him.

"I guess we need to find something to eat. Smee gave me some money."

Hand in hand they slowly started to make their way, hoping that they would find a market place, and perhaps a place to stay the night.

"Lost, dearie?"

Wendy turned around, and smiled nervously at the beaming woman behind them. She looked kindly at them, and Wendy felt calmed by her plump figure and friendly smile.

"Yes, a little."

More than little, actually. She and Peter had walked for what seemed like hours, and they had realised that when you don't know to where you are heading, it's not easy to find your way. Peter, who always had been the leader, had let Wendy decide, only protesting if she tried to turn in a direction that went back toward the docks. His sense of direction was intact, but he could only tell in which direction they should not go. Wendy, who had not counted on to be the one in charge, felt very tired, and would have loved to sit down and howl at the closest doorstep, but she couldn't. Peter clung to her hand like a small child at times, and when she looked at him she thought he looked younger as well. Was it possible that he could de-age? Or was it just she who had grown-up quite a bit lately?

The sight of a friendly female made Wendy feel quite relieved. The woman had nothing in common with her mother, but she was the first woman Wendy had seen since she left her home.

"Not really lost," she corrected herself. "We have just got here, and now we are looking for work."

"What kind of work?"

Wendy had not thought about that. "As a maid," she said after a moment. "And Peter, Peter can do anything. His hand is a bit bad, but he is really quick, and he can learn."

The woman frowned a little when she looked at Peter's rather frayed appearance, but then she smiled again.

"Why don't you come with me, then? I'm sure that I could find something suitable for you both."


	7. Chapter 7

The woman, Mrs. Ward took them along, talking and asking question about name, age, and skills, and Wendy answered as well as she could. She felt that she had very little knowledge of what a maid actually did, and many of the things the woman asked her about were things she had never done in her whole life. But the woman, who introduced herself as Mrs. Ward, did not appear being put off by Wendy's ignorance, and quite soon they reached a house, where Mrs. Ward unlocked the door and ushered them in.

They were brought to a room, furnished much differently from the cozy living room in Wendy's home, but evidently serving the same purpose. Mrs. Ward rang for something to eat, but to Wendy's disappointment it was not tea that was served with the biscuits, but wine. She had gotten used to drink it at meals, as Hook insisted on it, but the wine he drank was dry, and this was spiced and almost sickly sweet. Peter plain refused to drink it, but Wendy politely took small sips every time Mrs. Ward looked at her.

The woman talked on and on, and after a while Wendy started to feel a bit funny. She was oddly tired, and when she moved her legs, they felt heavy. And though Mrs. Ward still seemed friendly, she said very little of value. Peter shifted uncomfortably as well, easing closer to Wendy on the sofa. He had said next to nothing all the time, but now he whispered into Wendy's ear.

”I don't like this place, it smells funny.”

Wendy nodded. She had felt increasingly alarmed herself, and the heavy odour of perfume and sweat did nothing to help. So she rose up, and gave Mrs. Ward a polite little curtsey.

”Thank you so very much for your kindness, but I think we need to go now.”

Mrs. Ward just smiled and reached for the bell, but this time it was not a servant girl who appeared, but a man. He smiled at Wendy in a way that did nothing to lessen her discomfort, but she didn't say anything about it, hoping that indifference would help. She merely took Peter's hand and said good-bye, but the man grabbed after them. Peter dodged and tried to tug Wendy along, but Mrs. Ward's hand closed around Wendy's arm, and they were pulled apart.

Wendy made an unsuccessful attempt to break free; she found that she could not move as fast as she ought to, only to have her arms twisted up her back, rendering her totally helpless. Meanwhile Peter slithered like an eel when the man tried to catch him, but then he was caught. Only for a moment though, then his sharp teeth bit into the man's hand, and he broke free. He stopped and stared at Wendy, but when she yelled for him to run, he quickly ran out of the door before anyone had had presence enough to lock it.

Mrs. Ward swore loudly, but then she collected herself.

"Don't bother to chase him; he was nothing to have anyway. No one wants a cripple. It was her I wanted." She pushed Wendy into the arms of the man, and she was expertly turned and held, though she made a valiant attempt to kick him. To Wendy's astonishment, Mrs. Ward hand quickly grabbed her chin, and forced her mouth up.

”Beautiful teeth, that's an added bonus. Lovely skin, lovely hair. You are very pretty, indeed." She took a step back and removed Wendy's shawl, nodding approvingly at the swell of her breasts. "This is a good gown, but it's not new. Tell me now; have you run away from your father? You are clearly of better quality, and I can't see why else you should be in the company of that little ragamuffin. Now, if you tell me where we can find your family, I will go to them, and after they have expressed enough gratitude to me for being able to bring back their daughter, then you will return to them safe and sound."

"I don't have a father. I don't have any family at all!"

"You don't? So what did you do on the streets then?" Wendy said nothing, and after a moment the woman continued. "Well, if you don't want to tell me, then I have other uses for you."

Deft fingers started unlaced the bodice, and Wendy started to fight with renewed spirit. The woman grimaced, and went for the wineglass. Despite Wendy's protest she forced the girl to drink most of it, simply by taking hold of Wendy's nose and pouring the content down her throat, when she was forced to open it from lack of air.

"Don't worry," Mrs. Ward crooned. "It's just a little something that makes you a bit drowsy. We don't want you to hurt yourself, do we?"

Soon enough her words came true, and Wendy leaned heavily back against the man that who held her. Though she still protested when her bodice was opened, she found that she could not be bothered to put up a fight, and soon enough she had only her shift left on. The woman clicked her tongue appreciatively.

"Not bad at all. If you are a good girl, you will make a lot of money here, and easy money too. A lovely little maid like you will be very popular, and I will make the best of it.”

Wendy shook her head, trying to clear it. It was dawning on her that the woman was proposing to sell her body, but the only one who could stop that was Hook and Wendy could not tell the woman about him. The Captain was surely livid by now, and though he had not been too unkind when Wendy had opposed him earlier, she was sure he would be furious at her now. Peter had escaped too, and Wendy thought it quite likely that Hook would kill her if he ever got hold of her again. So she kept quiet, despite the less than appealing prospect Mrs. Ward outlined for her. After all, Peter knew where she was, and he would help her, she just had to wait. And she was so tired right now, what she really would like to do was to sleep, and nothing else.

"Better make use of the time as long as she is docile," the man said.

Wendy was brought up a staircase, and into a room with a bed and a vanity, but not much else. The drowsiness made it hard for her to focus, and she had no energy to try to stop what happened to her. A couple of gaily dressed girls appeared, and Wendy was washed, perfumed and powdered before she was helped into new clothes. Some of the girls looked at her with jealousy, and some with pity, but no one said much to her, and Wendy had little to say. When they had finished with her she was led to a mirror, and the girls, and Mrs. Ward gathered around her.

"Yes," the madam said. "White is very good. She looks very innocent.

Wendy didn't find herself so innocent looking. The bodice was even lower cut than her rose-coloured one, and her nipples were almost visible. It had no sleeves, and the sheer fabric in the shift made her arms quite visible as well. The skirt, thankfully, was as long as her other one, but the only thing she was wearing beneath was white silk stockings, and nothing else. She had understood that drawers weren't part of a lady's wardrobe in this time, but the absence made her feel quite naked anyway.

She was allowed to lie down on the bed, and she must have drifted off, because the next time she came to her senses the room was quite dark. When she stirred a girl a few years older than herself rose from a chair and came to her side. She told Wendy her name was Kath, and helped her up, and showed her where a chamber pot and a water basin were hidden beneath a screen. Wendy was given some food, but when Kath tried to make her drink some more of the sweet wine, Wendy refused.

"Are you sure?" Kath asked. "It'll make things easier the first time." She threw a glance at the door and eased a bit closer. "It's not so bad here, really. Just make sure to get on the good side of Mrs. Ward, and she'll take better care of you than many other madams."

"But I don't want to be here! I don't want to, to be forced to sleep with anyone who wants it!"

Kath looked a bit concerned, but hushed Wendy. "There is no use screaming. And from what I hear, Mrs. Ward found you wandering on the street, sooner or later someone else would have picked you up, and it might have been much worse. You'll get used to this, don’t worry.”

Here they were interrupted as Mrs. Ward entered the room followed by the man, whom no one had bothered to name for Wendy. She was made to lie down on the bed again, her arms and legs spread out and tied to the bedposts. The cords were thick and soft, but securely tied and Wendy could not free herself. Mrs. Ward gave her arm a sharp smack.

"Duckling, stop now. Soon there will be a gentleman visiting you, and it's the kind who quite likes an unwilling maid, but if I hear any complaints, you'll be beaten black and blue after. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Wendy said after a pause and the woman nodded. Wendy was left alone, and she made a new attempt to get free, but without success. She could hear steps outside, and then someone started to open the door and she stilled. Wendy closed her eyes as someone stepped inside and locked the door. That the man would go away if she looked like she was sleeping, that, she knew wouldn't happen, but she didn't want to look at him. She could feel the mattress move as the man sat down, and she hardly managed to breathe. Soon, soon he would touch her, and she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop him.


	8. Chapter 8

Wendy could hear the man moving closer to the bed and then he touched her face. But where she had expected the warmth of flesh to touch her, there was cold metal caressing her skin. Wendy's eyes flew open. If she had thought herself afraid before, then that was nothing to what she felt when she stared up into Hook's face, and not the one of a stranger. She could not scream, and even if she had been free, she would not have been able to move. His eyes bore into her, but they were their usual brilliant blue, she could not see any red in them, but that did little to diminish her terror. She moved her lips in an effort to make words come out, but before she did the hook grazed her lower lip, and she could feel the sting of it, and then how a drop of blood welled up.

"Hush. Not a sound, Wendy."

Wendy swallowed. There was no use in screaming, it was probably only expected that she would and no one would come to her rescue until it was too late. The hook moved over her face, very lightly, but unmistakably there, and Wendy knew it would be a small effort for the Captain to plunge it into her. The sharp point slid over her throat and down to rest just above her heart. Wendy shivered and he smiled.

"I can smell your fear, Wendy and what a delicious scent that is. What am I going to do to you, my little darling? Rightly I ought to kill you. I have killed men for lesser offences than this. I have done my best to indulge you, and this is how you repay me? I let the boy live, because I knew it would please you, and what do you do? Run off and cause me much trouble. And it's not the first time that you oppose me. I think I may have been much too lax when it comes to you. Perhaps I was just foolish enough to think that you and I got along quite well by now. Have I really been so cruel to you?"

The Captain paused, and Wendy dared to answer. Despite the dangerous closeness of the hook he didn't sound as angry as she had feared. "Not to me. To Peter."

"Peter!" Hook leaned back slightly, frowning. "Always Peter! How can he mean so much to you? A mere child, and you, my dear, are not a child anymore."

Wendy could feel her chin go up a little despite her precarious situation. "You have to take care of children."

Hook was silent for a moment, looking rather thoughtful. "I see. It is Mother Wendy, then, is it and nothing else?"

"I, I suppose so."

"The question is still, what shall I do with you? Kill you? Leave you here? After a few years here, you may think back of me with some longing. I don't think I would be very likely to take any pleasure from you then. Beauty fades quickly in places like this. So does youth and joy. Yes, perhaps that would be a suitable punishment for you. I could, of course, let you out of here and let you run free, but I think you know as well as I that you would end up in a room like that very quickly then. Or, I could take you back."

Wendy felt something stir inside her, and somewhat to her surprise she realised it was hope. The cabin at the Jolly Roger suddenly seemed like a haven; clean, beautiful, and filled with fresh air and sun from the open windows. But then it was Hook himself.

"Yes, I could take you back. I'm not sure if I want to, however. You could divert me greatly, but I can't have the nuisance of having to run after you in every port we reach. So I think that I shall have to let you chose for yourself, Wendy Darling. What do you want? Death, stay here, or come freely back with me to the ship?"

Wendy thought quickly. Not stay, anything was better than staying here. Death then? No. She didn't want to die. That left her with Hook. He was better than an endless row of unknown men, that was certain. Much better. He had not been totally unfeeling toward her. It had not, she knew, been for her own sake that she had been unhappy, not for the biggest part anyway. It had been the constant fear for Peter that had drained her. Now Peter was free from Hook, though she did not know where he was. But none of the choices Hook had given her was going to let her help Peter anyway, and now, she thought, she had to choose for herself.

She looked at Hook. "I don't care if you punish me, just take me with you."

He smiled again, much more kindly this time. Then he let the hook slash through her bonds, and pulled her up so she was sitting. Wendy ignored the pain in her limbs as blood started to circulate again, and put her arms around Hook's neck. His arms locked around her back and his embrace was so fierce that it took her breath away.

"I was so scared," she whispered.

Wendy had never thought that she would feel safe with Hook, but in that moment she did. He held her close a little longer, and then he released her and stood up.

"Let's go then."

Wendy stood up as well, and Hook looked her over critically.

"You look very fetching in that outfit, but it's hardly fit to walk around in." He removed his coat and wrapped it around her. When they stepped out of the room Mrs. Ward appeared. Wendy thought she must have been listening to hear when the door was opened. Mrs. Ward first smiled at Hook, but when she spotted Wendy the smile faded.

"What are you doing?"

Hook bowed. "Isn't that obvious? We are leaving."

"This is outrageous. You can't just walk out with one of my girls. Not without giving me something in exchange. For loss of income."

Hook stopped. When he spoke he sounded polite enough, but Wendy could hear that he was angry.

"Madam. I have already paid you a handsome sum for something that is already mine. When I came to this establishment, I came here to find this particular wench, and now that I have found her, we will leave."

Mrs. Ward looked at them with dawning comprehension.

"Oh," she said, looking from Hook to Wendy with a new interest. "Well. Then I would like to point out that when I asked her if she had anyone, she claimed that there was no one. Clearly she held little wish to return to you."

"The differences have been, ah, solved."

Mrs. Ward blocked the passage. Wendy would never have done so with Hook in this mood, but the woman didn't know him like Wendy did, and she was clearly not afraid. "But I have given her food and new clothes. I demand to be paid for my generosity."

It happened very quickly. Hook took a step forward, seized the woman by her collar, spun her around, and then the hook slashed down, and Mrs. Ward slumped in his grip, as a spray of blood splattered the wall with red. Hook let go, and she fell heavily to the floor. Wendy screamed before she knew she did it, and then she clamped her hand against her mouth. Kath and another girl came out of two different rooms, but when they saw Hook standing over the dead body of their mistress, they shrank back without a sound.

Hook carefully wiped his weapon clean on Mrs. Ward's skirt, before he turned to Wendy and stretched out his hand toward her. After a moment's hesitation, she took it. She felt faint, her decision to follow Hook felt less appealing, but she could not change her mind now. He ushered her down the stairs, and out on the street, and no one else tried to stop them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for this very late chapter. This one needed a massive re-writing and for a long time I didn’t know how to do it. I hope you will enjoy it!

Outside the house a carriage waited, and Hook gave the coachman orders to take them back to the docks. Then he opened the door and helped Wendy inside. It was dark in there, only a small lantern flickered in a corner, and it took her a few moments to get used to the dim light. The first thing she saw was Mr. Smee's white and worried face, and she gave him a small smile to show him that nothing was wrong with her. Then she noticed a second person as Hook climbed after her. To Wendy's astonishment, the small person beside Smee was no other other than Peter, grinning at her in delight.

At first Wendy was at loss for words. Peter was sitting there, seemingly unharmed and free. He actually looked more like himself than he had since they were captured, and that was not what she had expected him to look like in Hook's company. But Peter seemed unperturbed and Hook looked quite serene as he sat down beside Wendy.

"I tried to get you out, Wendy," Peter said. "But I couldn't find a way to get into the house again, and I didn’t know what to do, so I-"

"Came running back to the ship like a hare," Hook interrupted. "He had the sense to stay out of my reach until he had stated his business and had managed to tell me what had happened. Well, I doubt he really understood your real peril, but it wasn't hard to read between the lines."

"Oh. That was how you could find me so quickly!"

"Of course. I just had to go there and provide enough money and a general description of the kind of girl I wished for."

"But Mrs. Ward might already have found some other man."

Hook gave her a steely look. "She didn't though, or did she, Wendy?"

Wendy hastily shook her head, and Hook continued. "In that case, I would have gone through every single room until I had found you."

Wendy shuddered at the image of the bloodshed that would undoubtedly have been unleashed, but then she was struck by another thought.

"You meant to take me back all the time!"

"No. I meant to give you a choice. This is what I preferred though."

The rest of the way to the ship was silent. Wendy's thoughts scrambled to try to understand what had happened. Her and Peter's escape had come to nought, but despite it all she did not feel as terrified as she would have thought when they first got away. But the past day had been so filled with drama and fright and she found she had started to shiver. Hook watched her for a moment and then he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest. Wendy buried her face in the soft velvet of his coat and somehow felt safer.

When they reached their destination, Hook turned to Smee.

"Go and prepare a bath for Miss Wendy, she badly needs it."

Smee got out, and Hook leaned back in his seat, eyeing Peter dispassionately. 

"So Pan, what am I going to do with you? Wendy got the chance to choose for herself, and perhaps I ought to let you make your own decision as well. I am obliged to you after tonight after all. You may take your leave if you want. It would be a hard life to live on the streets of London, but you would be free, as long as you can keep out of reach for those who wish to harm you. You have a quick mind, so perhaps you would do quite well. Or you can stay on the ship. Smee tells me that he is quite pleased with your work, despite it all, so that wouldn't be a total waste of food."

Peter looked at the door, and for a moment Wendy thought that he would bolt away. But he didn't, instead he gave Hook a wary glance.

"If I stay, will you hit me again?"

It took a moment before Hook answered. "No. On my word of honour, I will not. But don't fool yourself into believing this choice will give you an easy life either.”

Peter was silent for a few minutes, then he nodded. "I think I'd rather stay, then."

Hook showed no surprise over Peter's decision, but merely nodded back. "Run after Smee then. I'm sure he has some task for you."

Peter slipped away toward the ship as Hook helped Wendy out. The relief made her feel so light-hearted she felt she could almost fly. Peter would fare better now, and when Hook started to walk toward the ship she put her hand on his arm.

"Thank you," she said. Hook didn't answer her, but she almost thought that he was smiling as they walked back to the Jolly Roger.

The bath was the best bath Wendy had ever had, washing away the brothel stink from her body. But when she slowly dried her hair in a towel, she felt apprehensive. What would Hook do now? He had saved her, but to what. Later, when she was dressed and Smee had fed her a delicious meal, that thought return. The Captain had said little while she ate, but watched her in silence and now she looked at him a bit nervously.

"How do you feel?" he asked and for Wendy, who had expected him to lash out at her in anger over her antic, took a moment before she answered.

"Not too bad, I think. I feel a little shaken still.”

More silence and Wendy fought an urge to squirm, but eventually Hook spoke again.

“Neverland might seem an island of wonder, but I have long called it hell. Madness lives there and taint everyone who abides there for long with insanity. Ever since we left I have felt is as if I’m slowly emerging from a nightmare and now I find that I don’t know what I was thinking when I thought it would be a good idea to have a half-grown girl on my ship. You can’t stay here.”

“Oh. But, you said I couldn’t go home.”

“No, you can’t. I have no wish to return to Neverland even if I could find my way and there is no one there to take you back. Pan is forgetting who he once was, you know that.”

Wendy nodded a little uncertainly while she wondered where the Captain was heeded.

“I have decided to find you a school. I think you would like that, you would find friends and learn how to be a young lady properly. What do you say?”

Surprised over being asked, Wendy answered slowly. “I think I would like it. But what will you do? Will you come back for me?”

He smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I suppose I will have to find myself a new occupation. I’m too old for piracy anyway. Let’s make a deal, Wendy Darling. You go to school and grow up while I find something that suits me. And then I’ll come back for you and we will see what we will make of each other by then. You need not worry over Pan anymore. I don’t think I will ever care for him, but as long as he keeps to Smee and do his chores, I won’t bother him.”

Wendy suddenly realised she had forgotten to breathe and took a deep breath. She hadn't noticed how tense she had been until she relaxed, overwhelmed by this surprising turn. But then she gave him a shy smile.

“I think it sounds very good.”

He nodded, then he rose and took her hand and kissed it.

“Very well, Miss Darling, then that is how it will be.”


	10. Epilogue

Wendy moved through the silent and dark house. She didn't need a light, her feet knew the way. She walked this round every night, long after the house had fallen asleep, to make sure everything was as it should be. And to make sure that her children slept safely in their beds.

 

She wasn't allowed to tuck them in, it would spoil them, James said, but he had never stopped her from checking on them when they slept. The nurse was used to her mistress, and hardly stirred when Wendy entered, and after satisfying herself that all was well, she left the room. There she paused. James was sleeping, and so she could indulge herself with another visit. She softly climbed the stair to a small room in the attic.

 

She found Peter sitting by the open window, playing his flute. The hand that had been damaged so badly had slowly healed over time, and was now almost good again. Wendy wasn't sure if James had noticed or not. Over the years the carefully studied neutrality the Captain showed Peter had had its cracks, though never as badly as the first time on the ship. But nowadays Peter rarely came in James‘ way, and was left mostly to his own devices.

 

As long as Mr. Smee had lived, Peter had been well cared for, and never lacked company, but he never grew. As time passed it was remarked upon, and the servants and even Wendy's own children, shunned the boy. Wendy's heart bled, and she tried to do her best, but Peter was unhappy even if he no longer had any memories of what he had once been.

 

Peter stopped playing and a small smile lit his face. He never slept when Wendy came, and she sometimes wondered if he sat there waiting for her every night. The thought made her sad, but she never asked. She sat down beside him, and he nuzzled close to her, and she put an arm around his shoulders.

 

"Do you want to hear a story?" she asked, knowing very well that he would want one. She told him one, and then she fell silent, resting her head against Peter's. He always smelled of fresh grass, wherever they where, and it brought back memories for Wendy, of how it had been when she was a child, and how she had played with Peter in the forests of Neverland.

 

"Look at that star," Peter suddenly said. "See how bright it is."

 

Wendy followed his pointing finger, and there was indeed a large star, where no star had been before. She frowned a little as she watched it, and after a minute or two the star had grown decidedly bigger. They both looked in silence as the small, but bright light moved closer.

 

"That's not a star", Wendy said finally. "It's a fairy."

 

Peter laughed. "There are no such things as fairies, mother Wendy."

 

But moments later, the light hovered just outside the window, and it was easy to make out the little female form in its midst. It wasn't Tinker Bell, as Wendy had half expected, but the fairy still had all her concentration focused on Peter, tinkling excitedly. Then she came closer still and landed on Peter's upturned hand.

 

Peter watched her in amazement, and a flicker of recognition moved over his face. "I can understand what she is saying!" He frowned when he continued to listen. "She wants me to go with her."

 

He turned to Wendy. "I think I want to. But how?"

 

Wendy laughed. "Oh, it's easy. She will sprinkle you with fairy dust, and then all you have to do is to think happy thoughts." A sudden pain went through her heart. Peter would leave now, and she felt joyous, but at the same time she knew that she would never see him again.

 

"Peter, go with her. She'll take you to the best place in the world, where you can do whatever you want. No one will ever tell you what to do."

 

Peter gave the fairy a longing gaze, but then he looked worried. “Can you come with me?”

 

“No, Peter. Only children can fly.”

 

Peter hugged her tightly. “Then I'll be all alone!”

 

“No you won't. You will find friends there. All the friends you need. And I promise you, Peter, you won't miss me for long.”

 

Wendy didn't add that Peter would soon forget her. He would become Peter Pan again, and she wouldn't even be a memory.

 

She cried a little after Peter was gone. He had gleefully swooped a few times outside the window, laughing quietly at this new game, and then he had followed the fairy's insistent tugging, and flown away. Wendy collected Peter's few belongings and burned them in the kitchen stove. Let everyone else believe he had run away, no one apart from her would miss him anyway. She kept the flute though, if anyone ever asked about it she could truthfully say that one of her children had made it.

 

The bedchamber was quiet, and Wendy went to the window to look out. The moon shone brightly, and she could see the sea glitter not far from the house. Life wasn't bad, and hadn't been for a long time. Love was a peculiar thing, Wendy thought, and sometimes it could grew from the rockiest foundation. No, her life was not bad, and now she wouldn't have to worry for Peter anymore, it was a responsibility that had left her now.

 

“Moonlight becomes you, my dear."

 

Wendy turned to the bed. "I didn't know you were awake."

 

James sat up. Wendy could see his eyes glimmer though his hair shadowed his face. Then he raked back his mane with his hand, and she could see his face clearly in the white light. It took all colour out of him, a man made of black and white. Moonlight was a kind light, Wendy decided. It hid the strands of white in his hair, but his still lean and muscular body was clearly seen.

 

“I was sleeping. But the moon woke me up. It's an odd night, can't you feel it?"

 

Wendy went to the bed and sat down beside James. He took her by her waist and pulled her down beside him, his hand moving over her body in a way that was both familiar and thrilling.

 

"Yes, it is a strange night." She shifted to a more comfortable position, letting her own hand echo his movement. She smiled. "But as we are both awake, perhaps we can find something better to do than sleep."

 

The End


End file.
